Help a noob - 5.1 surround on the cheap and simple?

setspeed

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Hi guys, I'm looking for some help if possible, please.
I'm intending on buying a new TV soon and want to get a cheap 5.1 surround sound system. Second hand is fine.
The reason I'm posting this is that I spent ages learning about the TV specs and equivocating about the best TV I could buy in my price range, and I don't really want to do that again with the sound system! Is there a good newbie guide to surround sound, and is there any prospect of buying a system for a budget price of say, under £100?
Any suggestions or directions to bargains would be appreciated!
Thanks
 
Under £100 no, maybe a sound bar of some sort but that would be a 2.1 at best. You've got to be looking at 250+ to get anything really.
 
Under £100 no, maybe a sound bar of some sort but that would be a 2.1 at best. You've got to be looking at 250+ to get anything really.
Even second hand? I'm not too fussed about buying new stuff, and would really like to keep the cost down if possible. I'm definitely all about eBay or classified ad bargains if I have the opportunity!
If not, then can you point me to a system for the price that you've given? Like I said, I don't have the time at the moment to get into researching this stuff - I just want to get a system that I can start with, and maybe upgrade or replace in the future.
Thanks for your help :)
 
Depending on where you get your TV from they may do a deal on both.
As for buying from eBay if you find something you like the look of then ask.
 
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Thanks! I've seen this on eBay at £150 Buy-It-Now. Is it any good/worth the money?

LG BH5540T 500w 5.1 Surround Smart 3D blu-ray Home Cinema Sound System - Black | eBay

I am under no illusions about what I'm going to get for my budget, but in the same breath I'm not an AV connoisseur - I can't afford to be! I'm only buying a budget TV (around £600) and I'd just like to get something that sounds pretty decent when watching movies (and looks nice in my front room as well!).
 
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'upgrade' - means using an AVR as your AV 'Hub', unfortunately anything second hand is bound to be a generation or two 'out of date' in terms of full video compatibility with the latests 4K UHD Source devices.

TV as a Hub - does your new TV have enough Inputs on it to cater for the Sources devices you want to use with it? If yes you could look at a Sound system connected via Optical to the TV (assuming the TV has optical Out).

Less is more - a second hand AVR (with Optical Input) plus a pair of Loudspeakers (to suit your room/layout/positioning) may be a more realistic target with your indicated budget. If your room allows for them you can then add additional Loudspeakers and a Sub as your budget allows.

Joe
 
'upgrade' - means using an AVR as your AV 'Hub', unfortunately anything second hand is bound to be a generation or two 'out of date' in terms of full video compatibility with the latests 4K UHD Source devices.

TV as a Hub - does your new TV have enough Inputs on it to cater for the Sources devices you want to use with it? If yes you could look at a Sound system connected via Optical to the TV (assuming the TV has optical Out).

Less is more - a second hand AVR (with Optical Input) plus a pair of Loudspeakers (to suit your room/layout/positioning) may be a more realistic target with your indicated budget. If your room allows for them you can then add additional Loudspeakers and a Sub as your budget allows.

Joe

The TV I want to get is the Hisense H55NU8700. I didn't realise or even think about the AVR needing to be 4K compatible, so you've already saved me from buying something that won't be suitable - thanks!
I literally have no clue what I'm looking at when I search for 4K compatible AVRs, but they seem expensive even used on eBay (£250+).
Can I ask you to clarify something? I know it's a stupid question but I also know that I'm totally ignorant in this realm:
If a HD (not UHD) compatible AVR is used to connect speakers to a UHD TV that is used to watch UHD streaming services such Netflix - will it work? IE will sound come out of the speakers?

Getting back on-topic, which is how I can get a 5.1 speaker system for cheap. I appreciate that you've said my budget is not realistic - thank you for telling me the truth. In this case, what do i need to spend to get what I want? Is there a budget AVR and speakers you can point me to, that will work with the Hisense TV I want to buy?
 
UHD - be careful with first generation ‘4K’ AVR as many only Support 2160p at 30fps with HDCP 1.4 so won’t work as an HDMI ‘Switch’ for the likes of Sky Q at full resolution.

TV - it looks like the Hisense has two UHD/HDCP2.2 Inputs plus one UHD/HDCP1.4 Input, so you could use it with up to three Source devices.

TV>AVR - if you accept you will be ‘limited’ to DD5.1 you can connect your Sources to the TV via HDMI and the TV to a ‘legacy’ AVR via Optical.

Joe
 

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